Villanova Celebrates Campus Sustainability Day, October 23

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University will join universities nationwide October 23 in celebrating Campus Sustainability Day (CSD), an initiative started by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). This year marks Villanova’s first CSD, demonstrating the University’s ongoing commitment to integrate sustainability programs into its curricula, scholarly research, academic and community events, as well as its institutional policy and practice.

CSD is held annually to celebrate sustainability achievements in higher education. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to exchange ideas with the goal of instilling additional sustainability principles in higher education institutions and their surrounding communities. Participants in CSD will gain a greater understanding of what sustainability is, what Villanova is doing to be sustainable, how they can get involved both academically and through extracurricular activities, and how a passion for sustainability can lead to a successful career.

“We hope Campus Sustainability Day will draw in students that are curious about sustainability, but don’t really know what it means, or how to apply it,” said Liesel Schwarz, Villanova University Sustainability Manager. “The day’s events are meant to help educate our campus community about the meaning and issues surrounding sustainability and the opportunities they have to study and apply sustainability in their life here at Villanova and beyond.”

Villanova’s inaugural CSD celebration will include a series of on campus events and lectures held throughout the day. The events will be sponsored by The Villanova Career Center, the Villanova School of Business, the Villanova College of Engineering - Master of Science in Sustainability Engineering, Villanova Center for the Advancement of Sustainability in Engineering, and Villanova University Recycling. All events are free and open to the public.

The first event of the day, “Sustainable Nova” will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the Speakers’ Corner in Falvey Memorial Library. Villanova’s Sustainability Manager, Liesel Schwarz, will lead a conversation about the University’s commitment to sustainability, what sustainability really means, and Villanova’s plans for a sustainable future.

Beginning at 12:30 p.m., members of the Villanova community are invited to join an hour-long “Sustainable Tour” of campus led by student members of the President’s Environmental Sustainability Committee. The tour, which departs from the Awakening sculpture (the “Oreo”), will highlight the campus’ sustainable features.

From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., faculty from Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Nursing, and the Villanova School of Business will present “Sustainable Studies,” an overview of the different academic sustainability offerings at Villanova, in the Connelly Center Cinema. Faculty members will describe course and degree offerings, as well as examples of student projects and research that incorporates sustainability.

The final event of the day, “Sustainable Careers” will be held from 5- 6 p.m. in Driscoll Hall, Rm. 132. The program will feature a panel discussion by Villanova alumni whose careers are focused on sustainability. Panelists include Tad Radzinski, president of Sustainable Solutions, College of Engineering; Adam Agalloco, energy conservation coordinator for the City of Philadelphia, College of Engineering; Brian Alessi, sustainability project manager for Sheward Partnership, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; Graham Sinclair, Sustainable Investment Advisor for SinCo, Villanova School of Business ; and Elizabeth Clark: nurse at Will’s Eye Hospital and founder of Nurse4Earth. A networking reception will be held immediately following the panel in the Driscoll Lobby.

Click here to learn more about Villanova University’s commitment to sustainability.

About Villanova University:Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's five colleges – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing and the Villanova University School of Law. As students grow intellectually, Villanova prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.

About Villanova

Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of St. Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges.